Storage or pipeline leaks of hydrocarbon and other chemical products can cause contamination of ground water. Conversely, water leaking into storage tanks and pipelines can cause contamination. There is a need for detection of leaks during storage and pipe transportation of liquid chemical products such as oils, crude oil, refined petroleum products, gasoline, kerosene, organic solvents and the like. In addition, a device to detect water that might leak into electrical equipment is desirable.
One method of detection has been to run a pair of conductors along underground oil or chemical pipelines using insulation between the conductor wires that allows permeation of chemicals. On leakage from a pipe, the chemicals enter the insulation causing the electrical characteristics between the conductors to change. By using time domain reflectometry (TDR) pulse reflecting electronic means, an electrical pulse is sent into the conductor and the reflected wave of the pulse is observed. Any changes in the characteristic impedance of the cable due to a change in the dielectric constant of the insulation is recorded and the location determined.
There is a need for devices that can detect and locate not only multiple leaks of hydrocarbon products and other chemical products but also leaks of water, exactly and continuously over long distances. There is a need to detect and locate such hydrocarbons and chemicals and/or water in one cable construction without shorting the circuit, thus enabling the detection and location of multiple leaks.